Apparatus for conditioning air in mechanical refrigerators



POWNALL INVEN TOR. GEO/PGE L. I OWNALL APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR IN MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS n n A "1 H n n "'l 1 111/ 1 1 1/ 111/ 1 I1 1/ Oct. 31, 1950 Original Filed Aug. 18, 1948 Oct. 31, 1950 G. POWNALL 2,527,572

APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING AIR IN MECHANICAL REFRIGERATORS Original Filed Aug. 18, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 -a "f--- 'l- '37 f 2 7 27 29 OG 29 g-Z.

28 26 28 5 JNVENTOR. 5 GEO/P65 L. I OWNALL Patented Oct. 31, 4950 APPARATUS FOR CONDITIONING IN MECHANICAL REFRIGERATOR/S.

George L. Pownall, London, Ohio Original'application August 18, 1948, Serial No. 44,886. Divided and this application Septem ber 13, 1948, Serial No. 49,098

3 Claims.

This is a division of my application Serial No. 44,886, filed August 18, 1948.

It is a well known fact that mechanically refrigerated cabinets, such as the ordinary household mechanical refrigerators, fail to preserve the wholesomeness of foods to the extent possible with the use of ice refrigerators. This is due in part, to the practice of sealing the mechanical refrigerator cabinet against entry and exit of atmospheric air, with the result that the air entrapped in the cabinet becomes stale and foul. The bacterial count of the air is thereby greatly increased and oxygen is lost, resulting in early deterioration of foods stored within the cabinet. Other disadvantages and objections to the ordinary household mechanical refrigerator will be referred to at proper places in the specification which follows.

An object of the invention is to improve the preserving qualities of air in mechanical refrigerators, and thereby enhance the utility of such devices for the preservation of foods and perishables of various kinds. 2

Another object is to curtail contamination and cross-odorizing of foods and foodstuffs in mechanical refrigerators.

Another object is to prolong the keeping period of foods in a mechanical refrigerator, by restoring humidity and oxygen within the confines of the refrigerator cabinet. 7

A further object is the attainment of the foregoing objectives in a simple and expeditious manner, with the use of simple and inexpensive apparatus that may be used in any existing mechanical refrigerator, irrespective of its operating principle or power requirements.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means described herein and illustrated upon the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan View of a device for conditioning the air in a mechanical refrigerator, constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same, partly shown in cross-section.

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a modified form of the device, shown partly in cross-section.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary top plan view of the Fig. 4 device, on a reduced scale.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view of a typical household mechanical refrigerator cabinet, showing application of the invention thereto.

Fig. '7 is a perspectiveview of a second modification, part being broken away.

In the introduction of mechanical refrigerators for household and other uses, much emphasis has been placed upon the factors of convenience and economy in maintaining a relatively coolcompartment for the preservation of foodstuffs, ignoring other factors which should properly be considered if the food is to be wholesome and healthful for consumption after being stored. It has been proven beyond any doubt, that withthe storage of food in a mechanical refrigerator, foul and stagnant polluted air will be found to exist in the closed cabinet after a relatively brief pe riod. Under scientific testing of the air conditions existing in the ordinary mechanically refrigerated cabinet, the bacterial'count of the air was found to be dangerously high for the whole-v somepreservation of foodstuffs. 'Use of the present v apparatus in such a cabinet, however, did materially reduce the bacteria therein by the meltage of ice in the apparatus. Comparative reasons for. the more satisfactory performance of the ordinary ice refrigerator in some-resp'ects, are believed to involve the gradual replacement of foul air with fresh air in the cabinet, the meltage of the'ice which restores oxygen and moisture'to the cabinet interior, and the ability of the ice meltage to carry from the interior of the cabinet the various impurities that result from natural degeneration of the foodstuff in storage.

By means of the present invention, the benefits of melting ice common to the ice refrigerator are realized in a mechanical refrigerator, while at the same time the lower temperature and other advantages inherent in the mechanical refrigerator are used to advantage, with the result that an improved overall system is achieved.

With reference to the accompanying drawings, Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, there is illustrated a complete unit for placement in a mechanical refrigerator, substantially as suggested by Fig. 6. The unit of Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a receptacle having side walls 9, end walls III, a bottom wall I2, and an upperperipheral rim I3 defining the open top of the receptacle. Intermediate the rim and the bottom of the receptacle, there is provided an inner circumferential shelf I5, the purpose of which is to support in substantial parallelism with the bottom wall I2, a separator such as is-indicated at I 6. The separator may be in the form of a plate or sheet having all of its edges I I resting upon the shelf I5 to effect a substantial seal separating the upper chamber [8 from the lower chamber I 9. The member I6 may be lifted bodily from the receptacle for cleaning purposes, by means of; suitable handles or finger grips'ZIl, or

1 their equivalent.

In the preferred form, the separator H; has a series of ribs or other upstanding protuberances 2| formed upon its upper surface, so arranged as to maintain ice cubes or particles elevated above the plane of the separator. Meltage from the ice cubes or particles may thereby flow along the upper surfaceof the separator sheet or plate, to enter a drop tube 22 which is rigidly associated with the separator sheet or plate. This tube 22, in cooperation with a well 23 located inside the receptacle beneath the level of shelf l5, forms a trap capable of sealing the lower chamber l9 when the trap is filled with water from the melting ice. The well 23 has an open top so that ice meltage may overflow into the lower chamber l9 and be therein confined along with the slime and other impurities removed from the refrigerator cabinet by the melting ice during use of the unit in the manner illustrated by Fig. 6.

As will be understood, the separator [6 may be in the form of a flat plate with a separate grille or the like superposed thereon in place of the integral ribs 2|. The separator may be constructed of any suitable material such as metal, molded glass or plastic composition, or any other substance capable of the required performance. The receptacle in which the separator I6 is placed may be similarly fabricated from the same or different materials, as desired. In the preferred form, the well 23 is formed integrally with one wall of the receptacle, as suggested by Fig. 3, although it is quite evident that the well might alternatively be a separate part simply placed within the receptacle beneath the drop tube. Other themselves in the light of the present disclosure, and it is intended that such alternatives which are obvious shall be considered as falling within the scope of the present invention.

Touse the device above described, it is necessary only to assemble the unit by placing the separator properly within the receptacle as shown, and after filling the upper chamber with ice cubes or chunks, place the Whole unit upon one of the shelves within the cabinet of the ordinary mechanical refrigerator. For the best results, the unit is placed on a shelf which is near the top of the fresh 'food compartment, so that it may set up a thermal air circulation whereby the warmerunclean air will flow over the ice particles which wash, cool, and humidify the air as it passesfdownwardly through the ice particles and emerges from the upper chamber through the side openings 24. While the presence of' side openings such as 24 may not be essential to satisfactory operation of the device, it is nevertheless preferable.

The cleansed and humidified air then passes downward to and around the various food items in the refrigerator, to absorb decomposition gases given off by the food, and will thereupon be heated sufiicientlyto rise upwardly and again circulate through the ice particles 25 to impart to the ice meltage such contaminating substances as the circulating air contains. This cycle of air cleansing, cooling, and humidifying continues as long as ice remains in the upper chamber of the unit.

The meltage from the ice particles, which by now has become polluted and contaminated by bacteria and other foreign matter, passes through the trap 22-23 and into the lower chamber H), where it remains isolated until the unit is cleaned and repacked with ice. Cleaning and repacking may be required every day or two, depending alternative constructions will suggest upon conditions within the refrigerator cabinet. So-called covered dishes may be eliminated when the present unit is operating, and fresh foods are found to retain their garden freshness for a long period of time due to the tendency of the unit to restore humidity and oxygen to the air withinthe cabinet, while at the same time cleansing and purifying the air.

The unit 30 as illustrated by Fig. '7, is substantiall the same as that of Figs. 1, 2, and 3, with the exception that it includes no mechanical trap for the ice meltage. Instead, the separator plate 26 isprovided with alternate rows of ribs 2'! and small drainage holes 28, the holes being of such a size as to retain droplets of meltage water as long as ice chunks 25 are present and melting upon the separator plate. The droplets, of course, will gravitate to the lower chamber of the unit as the ice melts, but between drops there will be a tendency of the small holes 28 to retain some of the meltagefor sealing purposes. Isolation of the contaminated meltage in the lower chamber is thereby achieved to a degree such as will render the unit satisfactorily operative. Side openings'29 may be formed in the receptacle as previously was explained, although these are not absolutely essential to-operation of the unit.

. The modified form of unit illustrated by Figs. 4 and 5 is distinguishable from the others in that it comprises three main parts rather than two; that is, the lower chamber is furnished by a pan or receptacle 3| having an outwardly flared peripheral upper edge 32 upon which may rest the bottom 33 of an upper pan or sealing closure member 34. The solid bottom of the upper pan is equipped with a goose-neck pipe or trap 35 that empties into the lower pan. A grid'or grille 36 standing upon legs 31 is supported by the bottom of the upper pan, and in that position is adapted to retain ice chunks elevated above the pan bottom. Circulating air entering the open top of pan 34 passes aroundthe ice. chunks, and leaves through the side openings 33 after depositing its bacteria and contamination content with the melting ice. The air is cleansed and purified in the manner previously explained. The unit may be cleaned by lifting the upper pan from its bearing upon the lower pan, and then washing the parts with soap or other cleaning agents.

In every case the unit of the invention is applicable to existing mechanical refrigeration cabinets in substantially the manner illustrated by Fig. 6, wherein the unit, indicated at A, simply is placed upon a shelf 40 of the cabinet 4|. The cabinet may include the usual evaporator 42, located to one side or centrally of the food compartment, .or, as applied to-the so-called cold wall type of refrigerator, the evaporator may be located outside the food compartment in heat transfer relationship to the inner shell of the cabinet. The compartment door is not shown, but will be understood to close the front of the cabinet in the usual manner.

In the performance of its function of conditioning the air within the refrigerator, the air conditioning unit of this invention does not carry the cooling load. The cooling function is performed by the mechanical refrigerating unit. It will therefore be understood that the device of the present invention performs to purify the confined air, and to restore the humidity necessary toproper preservation of the contents of the refrigerator cabinet.

Should it be desirable to do so, the units may be built into refrigeratorcabinets at the factory, in

which case the units might be attached or stationary, instead of removable bodily from the cabinet. In that event, access to the lower compartment for emptying its contents or for cleaning purposes might be had by Way of a suitable entrance door or port. Such modifications, as well as others within the skill of persons conversant with the art, may be resorted to, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. Apparatus for bacteria removal and restoration of humidity and oxygen to the dry chilled and confined air within the normally closed food compartment of a mechanically cooled refrigerator, comprising a receptacle having upright apertured walls, a. closed bottom, and an open top, a separator plate fitting within the interior of the receptacle intermediate the top and the bottom thereof in substantial parallelism with said bottom, with the apertures of the upright walls disposed above the separator plate, means eiTecting a substantial seal between the plate and the receptacle walls to divide the receptacle into an upper chamber for ice particles and a lower chamber for the meltage water from the ice particles, a tube depending from the plate to drain meltage water from the upper chamber, and an open-topped well in the lower chamber adapted to receive the lower end of the depending tube and to form therewith a water trap overflowing into the lower chamber, whereby meltage from the ice particles is substantially isolated from the air in contact with the ice particles of the upper chamber.

2. Apparatus for removing bacteria from dry chilled confined air in a normally closed food compartment of a refrigerator and for maintaining humidity in the food compartment, said refrigerator having a cooling element normally maintained at a temperature below the freezing point of water, which apparatus comprises a receptacle having upright apertured walls, a closed bottom, and an open top, a separator plate inside the receptacle between the bottom and top thereof substantially parallel to the bottom with the apertures of the upright walls disposed above the separator plate, a substantial seal being effected between the plate and receptacle walls to divide the receptacle into an upper open chamber for ice particles and a lower enclosed chamber for the meltage from the ice particles, a tube depending from the plate to drain meltage from the upper chamber into the lower chamber, an open-topped Well in the lower chamber adapted to receive the lower end of the depending tube and to form therewith a water trap overflowing into the lower chamber whereby meltage from the ice particles is substantially isolated from the air in contact with the ice particles of the upper chamber, and means for supporting ice particles in the upper chamber spaced above the separator plate to permit meltage to drain rapidly into the lower chamber without evaporating.

3. Apparatus for removing bacteria from chilled confined air in a normally closed food compartment of a mechanically cooled refrigerator and for maintaining humidity in the food compartment, which apparatus comprises a receptacle having upright apertured walls, a closed bottom and an open top, a separator plate inside the receptacle between the bottom and top thereof substantially parallel to the bottom with the apertures of the walls disposed above the separator plate, means effecting a substantial seal between the plate and the receptacle walls to divide the receptacle into an upper chamber adapted to contain ice particles exposed to the air in the food compartment and a lower chamber toreceive the meltage from the ice particles, means for conducting the meltage into the lower chamber, and means for forming a water seal in said conducting means for isolating the lower chamber from the upper chamber to preclude evaporation of the meltage into the air of the food compartment, whereby bacteria and odor carriers collected on the ice particles are transferred to the closed receptacle and trapped therein by said seal.

GEORGE L. POWNALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 844,924 Desforges Feb. 19, 1907 917,638 Moody Apr. 6, 1909 933,141 Urquhart Sept. '7, 1909 1,713,395 Raymond May 14, 1929 2,207,333 Perham July 9, 1940 

